Decisions
by LaDyFiCtIoN
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha has made a decision. He did not understand at first but reluctantly accepted that he has developed feelings for his best friend and rival, Naruto Uzumaki. All risks are calculate... but he has no idea how Naruto will react, when he shows up on his doorstep and confesses. Will their friendship survive these decisions? [Alternate Universe - Yaoi - Sasu x Naru]
1. The decision is made

Super nervous right now. Okay. Haven't posted in a very long time. So this story deserves a brief introduction because it will most likely consume me until I complete it – yes, I have the full intention if finishing and the plot line is already created, which is good news!

My fiancée challenged me to make a VERY believable Sasuke x Naruto story of their blossoming relationship because he personally favors Sasuke x Sakura – can't blame him, he is a fanboy after all. But my corrupt inner fangirl took his challenge and came up with this AU (alternate universe) where our cast and crew – you will meet lots of characters inside – are in a sports academy/high school. Yay, so original right? You'll see. That is just the backdrop. The focus is on Naruto and Sasuke – rivals in the art of kendo. I do not claim that any of my information in regards to kendo is correct, (such as tournament/championship information) I have seen a million animes and so battle sequences are just too much fun not to write. It'll all make sense soon – my only spoiler is that I'm already five chapters in. This is just a sample. Remember, this is also a romance between two fifteen year old guys. There's also some Kakashi x Iruka as well. More pairings to come.

Please read and review. Your encouragements will get chapters updated sooner. I need motivation. Any idea or suggestions, feel free to let me know. I want this to be amazing for everyone. This is supposed to be plausible and realistic without losing the feel and style of a manga universe/storyline.

**Disclaimer****:** I do not own Naruto, its characters, or its universe.

**-=Chapter 1 – The decision is made=-  
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This story begins with a decision. And what may have spurred such an astonishing moment in time?

_The way he smiles at me_.

Sasuke now knows that the next conversation he is going to have with Naruto will change the dynamics of their relationship for the remainder of their lives.

The doubts began early in his mind. As he softly kissed Sakura's forehead, then her cheek, and finally her delicate, glossy lips, the spark between them disappeared in a whisper. It felt listless, clumsy, and retreating; Sasuke hurried his goodbye. The flame went out, he realized as he told her that he loved her and her heart, even to this day, flutters at the memory. It is the last time she will hear them… and believe them genuinely. Sasuke knows that he loves Sakura, she is one of his closest friends, and now he anguishes in silence over this decision.

Young love. So promising. She is the best female student in their elite private school. He is an Uchiha. Her genius and gene pool were also very promising, albeit stemming from a lower social circle. His father Fugaku, nonetheless, approved of his selection. Although she is funded by scholarships and student loans, Haruno Sakura is a top student, fiercely motivated with drive and intelligence to succeed. Sasuke hears his father describe her mechanically; he highlights her unprecedented grades and _humble _beginnings. The perfect woman to mold. A woman who will appreciate wealth but not abuse it in her future. One who will know her place.

These speeches disgust him; across the table, Itachi deftly changes the conversation to business matters. His mother, Mikoto, gently nods her head at Sasuke to reassure him. His grip on the table cloth loosens. This is the Uchiha family. His father is shallow, conceited, and arrogant – his mother, ever calm and placid to the tense bonds they all share. She is malleable and cushions the blows of disappointment. But she is very soft with her children and listens to their concerns in private.

''Mother, I… I know that father enjoys Sakura very much''

''I do too,'' Mikoto interrupted her son.

''I am not in love with Sakura. There is no spark between us anymore. She is more like a sister, or…mother.''

''There is no attraction, then, I assume?''

Sasuke scoffed, albeit, embarrassed by his mother's braise comments. ''Sakura is gorgeous. Hundreds of my classmates ogle her. Naruto loves her too.''

''Sasuke, your decisions must always be made from within your heart.'' Mikoto placed a hand on her son's chest and kissed his forehead. ''You're 15, Sasuke, you are allowed to be unsure of yourself. You do whatever your heart tells you. One day, I promise, it will tell you the truth.'' Her smile was coy and her laughter mirthful.

Sasuke loved his mother; she guided him with disguised wisdom and absolute diligence. She never pushed his buttons or yelled. The voice of reason, he mused. She always helped and always would without question. They understood one another. That was their bond. Her relationship with his father baffled him though. Even his mother was flawed to some extent. His once childish eyes asked her _why, why did they have to put up with his anger?_ She told him that he did not understand his father and when he finally did, it would all make sense to him.

This decision took two weeks to make; he told his parents, right before their trip to Dubai, that he and Sakura were only good friends now. The disappointment in his father's eyes shunned his son into silence, as they departed for their vacation.

Itachi offered Sasuke a fine dinner and good conversation to clear his mind of that distasteful happening. They ended up dining at his favorite restaurant but even the amazing food tasted bland. There it was again – that word kept echoing in his brain – his father said that he had _failed_.

''So, what went wrong, Sasuke?''

The younger Uchiha sighed.

''I felt like I was lying to her and to myself. I didn't want to lose my friend, but I did. I could not give her what she wanted.''

''At least you are truly honest with yourself, little brother. Perhaps one day, she will become your friend again. Best friends that escalate their relationships often find it difficult to return to a platonic one immediately. I hope that you do.''

''I hope that you're right.''

''And there's no one else, Sasuke? Dad assumes that your hormones are making your dark eyes wander somewhere else.'' Itachi laughed to himself, because Sasuke was not amused by the undertones of the statement.

''Of course not. My decision is based solely on my heart, as Mother would say.''

Itachi, however, did not believe Sasuke. He smiled and dismissed the topic though; his little brother was allowed to have secrets. He did, nonetheless, want to see Sasuke happy as opposed to dismal looking.

''You are not a failure, Sasuke. You should not be judged on your decisions about love, when you have barely felt it enough to know what it is you want.''

The younger brother nodded. Itachi was the stoic voice of logic in the family. It reassured him but the damage was done regardless by the cruel undertones of his father's statement.

''Your decisions continue to disappoint me – they are failures.''

Sasuke liked Naruto – his best friend. The _foreigner_, as his father often said, the foreigner with amazing skills. Uzumaki Naruto, pupil of Jiraiya-sama, the number one ranked kendo master of Japan for a decade. Jiraiya is Naruto's grandfather. Albeit long retired, his legend is infamous. The man now, Naruto laughs, is an old pervert that runs an international printing company. Sasuke Uchiha is a kendo prodigy. Fugaku was a renowned trainer – a strict disciple of martial arts and kendo. His children were forced to continue his teachings and Sasuke will compete in the championships; he is expected to win. Itachi retired, undefeated, and after five years, a new Uchiha is fit to compete for gold. The first international tournament in exactly four years.

They are rivals and best friends. And if they were anything else, to his father, Sasuke would be a failure.

Their relationship began in kindergarten; Naruto arrived from America with his uncle Iruka and began school in Japanese. He immediately showed no progress or ease for school, whereas Sasuke excelled far beyond his class and was placed on the proverbial pedestal of perfection. By mid school year, an unruly and untamed five year old Naruto punched Sasuke in the nose and the Uchiha retaliated by shoving Uzumaki into the mud and kicking him hard in the side. They were not friends.

Naruto was transferred within the year. Sasuke never seen him again, until he began his first year of junior high. The bright blonde with big blue eyes was but a distant memory, a fleeting thought, and yet on his first day, they announced the arrival of a new student, Uzumaki Naruto and it all came flooding back to him.

By noon, Naruto put the pieces together as well and his cocky smile disgusted Sasuke instantly.

''I punched you in the face, in kindergarten, didn't I?'' Naruto asked and Sasuke, seated behind him, narrowed his eyes at the blonde boy.

''And I threw you in the mud.'' He said through grit teeth.

''Oh yea, I remember, and you kicked me, what an asshole you are.''

Their conversation drew the attention of their peers. Pale green eyes watched the bickering begin from across the classroom. Haruno Sakura stood up and stormed over to the commotion. Instantly, they discovered that this young woman was their class president. Her words stung like the bitterness of the artic. But her eyes and mouth spewed fire and brimstone.

''I was also in that very same classroom gentlemen, and if I recall correctly, you both cried like little babies and your mothers made you hug after class and apologize to each other.''

They immediately diverted their eyes to the interfering presence. Their faces were suddenly horrified. Naruto gawked and pointed profusely, while a disgruntled Sasuke dropped back into his seat in defeat.

''Next time you two act up in _my _classroom, I'll make you hug after class.''

Their colleagues roared with laughter. Sakura felt faint on her feet. Sasuke, she sighed dreamily, was still gorgeous. They were in every grade together, henceforth, until the Uchiha family moved away for two years, for "business". It has been seven hundred and thirty eight days since she has seen him. Her studies have paid off; for the next three years, she will be studying at this prestigious academy through a scholarship.

_If only to see him… _

Sakura has always loved telling people the story of how they met and fell in love. The best of their class – Sakura excelled in biology, chemistry, and science – and Sasuke was a genius in mathematics, business, and commerce. On her fourteenth birthday, he gave her a cherry blossom necklace, and they became the perfect young couple for almost a full year.

Naruto was bitterly jealous. He pinned over Sakura for months, trying desperately to reenter her good graces, after his first stunt with Sasuke. His grades were low and attendance shoddy, but Sakura, he insisted, would become his best friend. She would grow to love him. And she did. Naruto was very loveable. Sakura drowned in the innocence of his blue eyes and accepted his blameless flaws. They made him unique. No one could ever question Naruto's skills at kendo – he was astounding. Everyone believed in Naruto – especially his rival, Sasuke. Under their talented mentor, Hatake Kakashi, both young men became the school's most prominent stars. Sakura was proud of her friends for their outstanding achievements and she was rewarded with her dream – Sasuke Uchiha.

Inevitably, Fugaku took an interest in the bespectacled events of his son's school.

''You should keep you friends close, Sasuke and keep your enemies closer. If no one else compares to you and your rival, then you should stand alone on that platform with him. Know him. Know his weaknesses. Know when he is vulnerable. This boy should be your best friend and then and _only then_ you will be able to defeat him.''

Not all advice, Itachi told Sasuke one day, is wanted or desired. But that is exactly what Sasuke did. He and Naruto became best friends, despite the numerous yelling matches, punches, and sore egos. They trained together, fought, screamed, and defeated each other, countless times. They were brothers now. Kakashi taught them the value of friendship and encouraged them to accept one another, regardless of the other's imperfections. Naruto was selfless and easily manipulated. Sasuke was introverted and distant but possessed great leadership skills. They finally understood each other and that was rare. Not only could they fight one another but together they were harmonious in their techniques.

And all of that fell apart when Sasuke asked Sakura to be his girlfriend.

Sasuke never asked if this would bother Naruto – Sakura was their unspoken truce. She was never mentioned and off limits to both friends. Or so he thought. Naruto drowned in these thoughts for several days – over the first weekend in March, he remembers it so well, and the following Monday, he dried his tears and faked a smile for all to see.

Sakura loved to see Naruto smile and made it her mission to see those blue eyes light up in joy again. It did not take long for her to sit by Naruto's side, hold his hand, and tell him that nothing will ever change between them. She thinks that her presence will alter his friendship with Sasuke and she is determined to prevent that from happening. Naruto accepts her attempts at consolation but only Sakura leaves the conversation feeling satisfied with the results. The blonde is not mad at Sakura – he loves her, yes, and it hurt, but he is mad at Sasuke now. He smiles sadly at her back as she walks away. Would she ever love him in that way?

The rift in their friendship began the next day, at first practice, almost immediately. Naruto arrived early – this was a rare occurrence. Sasuke was already inside and warming up. Their meet only started at 7am. But Naruto knew that he would find Sasuke here.

''Good morning, Sasuke'' Naruto grit through his teeth, as he brandished his weapon and took a fighting stance.

''Go change first and get warmed up, then I'll take you up on a quick spare.''

But Naruto charged. He promised Iruka he would not. He promised Jiraiya he would not. And yet it happened. This needed to happen. Naruto roared as he struck the first blow, as hard as he could swing. He instantly broke through Sasuke's defensive stance and the Uchiha's eyes narrowed, as he stumbled to the floor, on his ass.

''Naruto, what the hell was that?'' he spat at his adversary but the blue eyes staring back at him were seeing red.

Sasuke stood up cautiously. He was serious now.

''You're a fucking asshole, Sasuke.'' Naruto seethed. A growl erupted from his chest and he struck at Sasuke with another set of vigorous blows. ''You didn't even ask if it was okay – how dare you!"

Sasuke escaped the relentless attack and put space between the two of them. He was caught completely off guard. That look in Naruto's eyes – Anger. Hate. Betrayal.

It was because he decided to ask Sakura to be his girlfriend.

His father was upset about Itachi's medical condition. Furious. The results came in. Only Sasuke would be able to produce grandchildren. His announcement to the family pleased his Father greatly and appeased the household stress. Itachi was then able to mourn, Sasuke assumed, in silence, until that rage crept up from the shadows again, in a few days. Their father's attention desperately needed to be redirected elsewhere and Itachi had yet to open up about these matters.

Decisions, Sasuke realized, _can_ and _will_ alter the course of life without any warning. Certain things are not considered in the seconds leading up to the decision. Right now, he could lose Naruto forever. In the dojo that morning, Sasuke was terrified that Naruto would abandon their friendship for this. He had never realized how important that it was to him. But it was. And this was his fault. He deserved to feel Naruto's mistrust, anger, and disappointment. His decision was selfish to him and selfless for another. He made it because he felt that it was his responsibility to openly reciprocate Sakura's advances and fulfill his father's wishes, to grant Itachi privacy in his personal life.

That day, Naruto beat up Sasuke and screamed at him about respect but they still somehow managed to shake hands and shrug it off before their practice began. Sasuke now knew what it meant to have a best friend stand beside you no matter what – even after that. His eyes watered and Naruto tried to conceal his own tears with a sheepish grin.

Now here he was, almost a year later, ready to ask his best friend out on a date.

Sasuke did not want to ruin their friendship. It was happening again; he felt as if he could lose it all, in just one second, like back then…

He knocked on Naruto's apartment door and unceremoniously, a familiar voice from inside lazily called out, "Come in!" from the couch in the living room.

The usual sight greeted Sasuke. Naruto was playing video games. The second controller was seated on top of his pile of homework. Sasuke grabbed it and joined the game. It calmed his nerves. Naruto was making funny sounds as his character repeatedly died. He could not help but smirk.

''So what's up Sasuke, haven't seen you since Friday.''

Sunday night. Raining. Iruka was working late. Sasuke pushed aside Naruto's empty ramen bowl and set the controller down. He kept fidgeting. And sighing.

''Seriously dude, what's up? You look off.''

Sasuke nodded. Words were too hard right now. His voice sounded strained.

''Naruto, I've made a decision and I wanted to talk to you about it.''

''Hey hey! Did you meet a woman? Ouuuh, tell me!'' Naruto was grinning madly in anticipation.

This was exactly why Sasuke liked Naruto so much. His enthusiasm. His carefree demeanor. His motivation and honesty. It was written all over his face.

_The way he smiles at me. _

He was afraid to simply say "I like you" and see that smile fade away. Would he have to watch Naruto become confused and angry with him? This decision… was it… still… _possible_? How could they ever go back to being friends? Would these feelings disappear if Naruto rejected him? Even he and Sakura were still tense and uneasy most of the time now. Would he jeopardize this friendship as well?

''I have to tell you this, because if I don't, I'll continue to feel like I'm lying to you…Naruto – I like you.''

Sasuke sighed such a deep exhale of guilt, fear, and frustration that even though he felt empty, and completely open, no matter what, he would fix this.

Naruto blinked a few times and laughed awkwardly but kept his composure. He wanted to ask a million questions and yet his mouth produced nothing but moist air and saliva as it hung open. These questions were not easy to pronounce either.

''Okay, I know I shouldn't talk just so that this isn't awkward, but I am, and I'm going to ramble, or I'll stop talking, so I didn't want to be quiet and make you wait in silence for an answer that I can't seem to give you because I don't really understand it all yet and so… I'm going to have to ask you to elaborate some more for me.''

Sasuke was relieved that Naruto managed words so fluently, even if jumbled. He expected a lengthy silence and gawking for several minutes. He had played this event through in his mind a thousand times now. His words were shaky and scrambled but cautious. He felt as if Naruto was being gentle and amusing to ease the situation. That smile was there though, at the end of his sentence, pleading with Sasuke for the rest of the conversation.

''This is not a confession, Naruto. I'm not hiding anything from you. I'm trying to be as honest as humanly possible. I find myself staring at you sometimes and admiring you. That's not an easy thing to admit you know… I can't explain it simply for you. I can't make you understand me. I know that I like you, Naruto, because I like you more than I ever loved Sakura.''

''Is this a crush, then? Like, you think I'm so amazing you secretly admire me?''

Their eye contact broke as Sasuke shook his head in the beginnings of frustration.

''I don't fawn over you like I'm some mindless half-wit, you're my best friend and I respect you. I compete with you. I am proud to have you stand beside me, regardless of any of this…''

''Sorry Sasuke, you're being so serious and I'm being a clown. I know you're not a fangirl. And you are my best friend. This is just strange to me because you're my brother. You're like family to me. At least to me…''

''I know…''

That was the hardest part. Naruto had always felt like a brother, at first, but more like his counterpart now. They were opposites yet blended perfectly together. He felt balanced with Naruto. He was someone who lived life almost exactly as he did. Naruto's presence calmed his nerves usually; his lame jokes made him chuckle inside. There was something unspoken between them. Sasuke thought that perhaps those words were…

''I guess you saw past that, right? And that's why you're here now.''

Sasuke never needed a brother figure; Itachi always stood beside him with a guiding hand. Naruto was his vitality, his energy, his drive for success – competition, that thrive for glory. Their relationship was already complex; best friends andeach other's rivals in the kendo world. They fueled one another at practice every morning and began their days together. Had class together. Ate lunch together. Studied together.

''I get it, I'm your brother. I'm sorry. I really don't want this to ruin our friendship. I respect you too much for this to come between us.''

Naruto expected those words – Sasuke was retreating at the first possible exit. He was afraid of rejection. His fingers were twitching nervously at the cuffs of his navy sweatshirt.

''Don't blame yourself Sasuke, it just means you discovered something about yourself. I… I really don't know how I feel though. I'm sorta seeing Hinata tomorrow night – we have a date. Your decision is a really big one…there's a lot for me to consider.''

''I know.''

''Can I have some time to think about it?''

''Of course…I can go. I get it.''

Sasuke was up instantly, even before the sentence finished falling from his lips. This was fight or flight. Was this even a fight? Was there even a chance? He stood there, frozen in fear, a few steps away from the exit.

''Sasuke… thank you for your honesty.''

''Any time.'' It was sincere, but Sasuke said it abruptly. He headed for the door without even daring to look back. It would only hurt more.

The decision was made.

What would happen now?

**-=TBC=-  
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_And now we begin! _


	2. Inside and Outside

Thanks for the hits and reviews. I'm almost done CH 5 now and hopefully, by later today, I'll have posted another one-shot as well. So, as much as this story is SasuNaru - you have to get through Naruto and Hinata's date first. Sorry everyone. Besides, every great story needs context right. I want everyone to focus on Hinata - I personally do not like her as a character but that doesn't mean that her character personality shouldn't be good. So let me know if you all agree with the flow now and direction.

**Disclaimer: **Nothing.****

**-=Chapter 2 – Inside and Outside=-  
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There was no way for Naruto's brain to process what had just happened. There was that word. Gay. Was he gay? That was a big question. Plenty of people were gay. Kakashi was very happy with his uncle. Ten years now together.

But was _he_…

The conversation he had with Iruka later that night helped organize and clarify his thoughts.

''Wow, Naruto… that is quite the bombshell,''

His blonde nephew was silently staring into his cup of tea, completely drained. He explained everything. It took almost forty five minutes and a solo monologue of dysfunctional phrases but his heart felt lighter and the blinding confusion in his chest began to dissipate.

Sasuke was his brother. Family. The only _brother_ he ever had. But had Sasuke ever asked for this bonded kinship? He wanted a best friend. Naruto was his best friend and always would be; he could not stress this enough to Iruka. This was the first trigger. He would do anything for Sasuke. Earlier that day, he was ready to go with him to space and fight aliens. Or bury some corrupt judge's body. Disappear to Panama with new identities even. Naruto confessed that he was even prepared to lose to Sasuke in the World Championships. They were _like _brothers… nothing had really changed yet.

But being gay… Iruka knew how Naruto felt about this. This topic was broached many years ago. It provided Naruto with a better insight into his own beliefs about the world and its inhabitants. Iruka was proud of him for possessing such a caring and loving soul, open to differences in races, ethnicity, and gender.

Love knows no boundaries. It defies all.

''I respect everyone, Iruka. I don't judge anyone for their preferences or interests. That's not really fair. Everyone, to me, is equal. I guess if love is like that, then I should give everyone the same chance…''

Hinata. He really liked Hinata. Five minutes before Sasuke wandered over earlier, he was texting Hinata some flirty messages. There was no denying his instant attraction for her. He brought up the topic of girls to Sasuke, in order to talk about Hinata. So soft, and delicate, but he was hoping that she was mysterious and coy, not too innocent underneath it all. He wanted to cuddle up to her and steal a kiss, so audaciously… but Hinata had approached Naruto first, a blushing exchange student, lost in the crowd of students. He was polite and smiled a lot. She was really pretty. Before they departed, she asked to have lunch with Naruto. But he had detention. Then, she was lost to him. Neji, her cousin intervened and kept them socially apart by the next morning.

After a year of passing smiles and small courtesies, Naruto decided to ask her out for lunch. Sakura and Hinata were class partners and that gave Naruto the perfect excuse to saunter over and chitchat habitually with them. She was thrilled. Instantly, all his fears of rejection flooded from his pride and after their meal, he bought them ice cream before returning to class. It was perfect. He wanted so badly for it to be amazing. No lack of conversation, he kept making her laugh and smile. No talk of fighting, because most girls are not interested in that stuff. Don't seem too desperate…

Hinata gave him her number. Naruto was celebrating inside, as he entered her digits into his cellphone. Best afternoon ever. And that was Friday.

_Bad timing Sasuke_, he mused loudly over tepid tea. Iruka laughed.

This date was much anticipated. Up until now. It was hard to think of Sasuke, when it seemed so natural to think about the blushing Hinata, but he knew that no matter what, he would go out with best friend as well and try to find an answer that way. Then, he would decide.

''I am proud of you Naruto, this is a great way to make a decision.'' Iruka approved. But he warned Naruto that being fair and open may not be as easy as he believed, on each date. ''I know you're excited about Hinata. That's good. Don't let it overshadow your decision though. I am not going to lecture or scold you about this, you're just so young…and dating is…well, different at my age, but Naruto, when you sit with each of them, think… does this person make me smile a lot, are they interesting to talk to? Do they make my heart skip a beat or stir up a flutter of butterflies in my stomach? Do they understand me and I them? Is there chemistry? If you judge them each on similar ideals and qualities, that may help you see if either of them is right for you. Maybe you won't date either, kiddo.''

Naruto had never thought of that.

''Thanks Iruka. I understand… I feel a lot better now. And you're right, I'll probably have to date a hundred people before I find that one special person like you.'' He finished his cold tea, rinsed the cup, and headed for bed.

But he did not sleep most of the night. Not good. He wanted to be well rested and chipper for Hinata. Before training, he stopped and bought two energy drinks. Of course, this made him late, and Kakashi was not impressed, especially not when Naruto burped out loud from chugging his carbonated drink. Monday mornings with Kakashi were always the hardest. He was subjected to extra laps to sweat off the caffeine and he did not see Sasuke in the locker rooms before class. That, he sighed in the showers, was preferable.

He was late for his languages course and miserable the entire time. His stomach hurt. His eyes felt heavy. His head was throbbing. After class, he begged Sakura for pain relievers and ate a muffin she bought for him. She was his savior. He would see Hinata in mathematics and he eagerly arrived as early as possible. There she was, as expected, chatting with her colleagues. Naruto strolled over to say good morning. It made her blush. Her friends giggled. She promised not to be late for their date, which made it public knowledge, he realized.

Lunch. And then Neji. Another bad thing. The senior did not seem pleased with the gossip. His looks were menacing and eyes dangerously narrowed at one target. Naruto sighed and he headed outside the cafeteria, to the front of the school yard. If they were going to do this, let it be outside. Hopefully, his detention for this would be tomorrow, not after school.

''I thought I told you to get lost. Hinata is not worthy of your time, Uzumaki.'' Neji yelled at his underclassmen and drew a small crowd of onlookers from the ruckus.

''Then why did she give me her number?'' Naruto rolled up his bright orange sleeves and raised his fists.

Hinata appeared behind them just then but remained silent. Her face was already stained in dark scarlet reds of embarrassment and anger. Neji was dragged away unwillingly by his furious cousin. Their argument was not very private, even at a distance. He had to admit, Hinata yelling like that was kind of sexy. Naruto smiled sheepishly as he watched her defend him. He was so happy and intrigued in that moment. She was fighting for him. It was nice.

Neji did not return to face Naruto. The blonde only watched the senior's back walk away from him and inside again. Hinata hurried over and began apologizing profusely for Neji's behavior. She then muttered lowly about her family and winced at how pathetic she felt before the love of her heart.

But there he was, Naruto Uzumaki, smiling at _her, _regardless of everything else. This was so exhilarating. Her father would be hysterical. Neji already was beyond hateful. She felt freedom with Naruto and it pleased her knowing that the misogynistic men in her life were utterly revolted by _her_ decision. She would make her own decisions from now on.

Naruto never suspected that Hinata could ever harbor such strong emotions; she was a sweetheart, so fragile and honeyed. He did not understand that Hinata wanted to rebel against her lineage and responsibilities. Naruto wanted a flower he could caress and care for. He liked awing her with his stories. The admiration in her eyes was overwhelming. Hinata did admire Naruto; he was outgoing, boisterous, energetic, and loudly outspoken. He would crush her tyrannical father and manipulative cousin. Naruto would save her. But Hinata did not want to be a princess or a damsel in distress, she wanted to free her spirit and find a new, brave voice for the world to hear. That message was clear – she loathed her oppressor's ideals. But she needed a knight to stand behind her values and enforce them.

His name instantly drew a smile to her lips. Naruto Uzumaki. Kendo World Champion. She knew he would win. The first official championship title in four years would be his. She knew exactly who he was. His genuine heart and caring nature would nurture her soul into something beautiful and serene again. If only she could be his girlfriend, when he won the tournament – that would instantly earn their approval. If only he would fall in love with her…

Naruto…she would whisper to him softly. Naruto…

''Hey Hinata!'' Her translucent eyes opened to the very sight of Naruto himself.

''Naruto, hi,''

The date began on a high note. Naruto was bold and fearless. He dared such a trick early on and embraced her in his arms without any hesitation. She furiously blushed a deep scarlet into his chest, where she smiled deliriously to herself. But his antics did not end there; he ended the hug with a sneaky kiss against her cheek.

Naruto asked to meet away from the school, away from the gossiping of their peers. Hinata agreed, even if she wanted everyone to see them. There was space between them again. He smiled brightly at her and she continued to shyly grin in embarrassment. His hand took hers as they walked and he began their conversation on a casual tone.

''How was your day?''

''Oh, it was fine, Naruto. Thank you for asking.''

The first moment of silence struck them instantly.

He could not help but chuckle. ''You're supposed to ask me how my day was too, silly''

She echoed his laughter but felt awkward doing so. ''Sorry, sorry, I wasn't thinking, I just…''

Naruto did not let her effort go to waste. ''I get it, you're nervous. If we're being honest, so am I. I don't really know how to impress a nice girl like you, and I really don't want to bore you with kendo training stuff, so I hope that this little restaurant we're going to is okay with you. I love ramen, I always want ramen. It's amazing!''

Hinata burst out laughing. ''I know that you love ramen Naruto, everyone knows.'' He was adorable to her, so open and free, ''I would like that very much. Thank you.''

At the restaurant, he pulled out her chair like a gentleman. Their table was in the corner, near the window. Low lighting. Nice music. He asked the owner to set the mood and he definitely pulled through for his best client. Usually the television would be on, showing a movie or a sports game. Being a regular sometimes paid off. Hinata ordered the seafood platter; Naruto merely nodded at the waiter and like magic, he understood. Again, she laughed at his antics. The waiter knew exactly what he wanted. The chef's delight. Only Naruto could order such a bowl. He loved telling her these things about himself, as if his connections were impressive. She found him utterly entertaining. The restaurant, she thought, was very nice, quaint, and the food was good. Although he found his bowl utterly delicious and the second one as well, Hinata's reaction was rather impassive and meek. She always thanked him.

''Yes, it is good, thank you.''

But _he_ continued to impress her with every new statement or opinion. Their conversation was very limited though. Hinata was relatively quiet as she ate and Naruto was too hungry to talk more than he found necessary.

Another topic struck him. Hinata, like Sakura, was a genius. Surely, school would be a topic that would interest her.

''How did you do on Gai-sensei's anatomy quiz yesterday?'' Naruto for the sake of conversation.

''Excellent, the anatomy of a human being is very interesting to me.''

''Ahhhh, I see. I just can't seem to get the hang of the names. It's usually close, but wrong!''

''I could help you study, Naruto. I am good at many subjects.''

''Why thanks, Hinata. I know you're very smart, and you're so nice too. I could use some help… with everything.''

They both laughed.

''Which class should we start with, then?''

They walked and talked about school, as they headed for dessert. Of course Naturo had room for dessert. His appetite, she noted, was ravenous at times. He simply winked at her.

Naruto brought Hinata back down to where they shared their first ice cream cones together. Different flavors this time. He insisted upon tasting hers. Very flirty. She liked how audacious he became at times. It still made her blush though and breathe a little faster. Naruto was eating a mango and pineapple delight, whereas Hinata chose a mixed coffee bean flavor. Their tastes differed, it seemed.

''Do you like yours more than last time's choice?''

Hinata pondered the question. ''No, the espresso tasted much better than just coffee and vanilla bean.''

''Huh, I see.''

Again, Naruto noticed that Hinata did not continue their conversation. He wanted to tell her that his mango pineapple sorbet was amazing but she did not ask him. This disappointed him. The conversation was becoming increasingly hard for him to sustain or begin, without seeming random and desperate. Not good. He touched based on the basics, asked her about her interests, spoke of school with her…now what?

Then, he also remarked that Hinata kept smiling at him, even during their awkward silences. He often caught her staring at him and he would laugh it off ashamedly. But she would not speak. Only giggle and sigh.

''So,'' Naruto hesitated, as they sat down with their treats, ''are you interested in kendo?'' He hated bringing up the topic because more often than not, his female peers would get annoyed with his chats about epic legends, past battles, and ancient warriors with incredible techniques.

''I do. I find you very talented. Your battles are always so inspiring and incredible.''

Naruto's face instantly lit up. The cloud of woe above his head dispersed. Her words touched every part of his heart. Everything felt amazing again. A spark ignited. He knew it all along; she was the complete opposite of all of them. Hinata was unique. She was passionate about different sports and her school work, not makeup and social status.

''I love it when you and Sasuke battle. Those matches are always the best. Everyone in school gets excited for those. It's all anyone talks about when you guys are competing.''

The blonde began to chuckle, clearly trying to hide his embarrassment. ''Thanks Hinata, I really appreciate your enthusiasm for kendo. It means a lot to me.''

However, Naruto realized that he also felt awkward just then, because Hinata mentioned Sasuke. If only she knew how weird it was to hear her speak of him… that was the point of the dates, he knew, to decide. She did not need to know. She need only stay interested in him.

Hinata happily smiled at Naruto, across from the top of her half eaten cone. ''You know, Naruto, I think that you're going to win the tournament.''

Naruto was quite surprised when Hinata voiced her opinion first, for the first time that evening. He felt encouraged by it; the topic, nonetheless, was hard for him to talk about, let alone to boast a supposed victory. He could not flaunt himself, until after he won. _If_ he won. But his opponent was still his best friend…and again, it felt uncomfortable inside Naruto's stomach, a churning of sorts. ''You're such a sweetheart Hinata, cheering me on already, the tournament is in nine months, lots of things could happen before then.'' He protested humbly with a much weaker smile.

There it was. The only reason why people talked to him. He was someone. Popular. Almost famous, as Kakashi told them. On the cover of magazines, in articles, and newly plastered on buses, trains, and on the subway. Naruto sighed again, to try and dispel his negative thoughts. Not now. This was supposed to be a great date. It became perfect just a minute ago. No one understood how he felt about the tournament. Naruto was fighting for himself, not other people. Not even for Jiraiya's pride or Sasuke. He respected the sport too much to pay attention to the gossip of his peers or the flash of the camera after his qualifying matches.

''Do you not like talking about it, Naruto? You look strange. You should be happy. Everyone is voting for you.''

''No, I don't like talking about those things, sorry. I like talking about the fights, the moves, and the stances, how I read my opponent, those things. This tournament… I know it's a big thing, but I have to think of that every morning, and during every practice, so with you, I just want to think of other things, you know.'' Naruto finished his ice cream and cleaned his hands with a napkin. He offered one to her.

She accepted. ''I'm sorry Naruto, I didn't mean to upset you. It must be so stressful, always training, and school work on top of your load. I can always help you with school too… I just really wanted you to know that I think you're amazing and that you're much better than that spoiled rich snob Sasuke Uchiha. You'll win, Naruto Uzumaki, I know you will.''

Her smile was perfect in that moment and he accepted the honesty and pure intentions of her words. He smiled as well, but not in pride, like she wanted it to be. He forced one, for her sake. It was genuine in feeling though, sadly laced with a touch of underlying pity. She did not understand him at all it seemed. He realized that then.

Hinata pushed forward though. She was slightly confused as to why Naruto was suddenly reserved about the reason for his success. He should be confident and intrepid. Was her gallant knight suddenly hiding behind his modesty? She knew he loved kendo and so did she. She wanted him to know that.

''Perhaps you could tell me how you plan on defeating your foes? Your moves? Would that make you happy? I want to know how good you are. I want to see the next champion perform.''

Naruto repeated to her that he did not like speaking of the World Championship Tournament. And it bothered him that Hinata shared the same mindset as their peers. They were choosing sides. Who would win? Naruto or Sasuke? Jiraiya's descendant or the younger brother of the former retired champion? The friends chose to opt for silence instead, when pressed for their opinions. The match would definitely be close. But to predict it? To brag or gloat beforehand? He respected Sasuke more than that. Hinata did not. He also realized that.

It struck Naruto that the most interesting conversation that he and Hinata shared was about kendo and it almost ruined her, in his eyes, because it hurt him deeply that she managed to find his sore spot. The poking and prodding never ended. Now from her.

''Naruto…Naruto… are you in there, Naruto?''

Hinata was standing in front of Naruto, a look of concern splayed across her brow as watery rivulets began to well in her eyes. It took a few seconds, but Naruto realized that he had completely zoned out for several minutes. His thoughts were devouring him, preoccupying him… he found it hard to focus now that he felt shaken and stirred with doubt.

'Sorry, Hinata, I kinda spaced there. I didn't mean to upset you…''

''If you're not feeling well, we can go, Naruto…''

''Oh no, Hinata, I'm good. Come on, let's go, I wanted to take you to the arcades, if you don't mind, there's a surprise for you there.''

''A surprise for me? At the arcade? I must admit, you are strange, Naruto, but very charming.''

She watched him frown, grit his teeth, tense his jaw, and blink a lot, for two minutes and three seconds, before he responded to his name. She pronounced it four times in total. He was gone. This surprised her. She became nervous. At least he smiled again, she thought, although she also noticed that the creases in his brow remained present. He was thinking a lot…

It made sense once they stepped up together to the claw machine. There were hundreds of stuffed animals inside.

''Which one would you like, my lady? I guarantee that I can get anything in there!'' Naruto's confidence returned. She could see his vitality reappear. He held up his tokens for her to see.

Hinata's eyes lit up with joy. She wanted to believe that he was happy again. It seemed so cliché that he would win her a prize but it filled her with so much energy and excitement again. There walk was a silent one that lasted only several minutes. The arcade was just up the road. He held her hand as they crossed the street and she indulged in the soft feel of his larger hands.

She pointed to a lavender colored turtle with a pink heart on its shell. Naruto inserted his first coin and maneuvered the electronic claw over to the desired plushie. She was cheering loudly already. But it missed. Naruto's jaw almost hit the floor. It was impossible. His eyes narrowed dangerously at his new enemy.

''I swear, I swear I never miss. Ask Sakura! Ask Sasuke! This is a fluke! Arrrgghhh! I always get the prize!''

He jammed his token in the second time and resumed his hunt with a vengeance. This time he captured the target and the turtle hung there, very loosely in the claw. He moved it slowly.

Hinata applauded as it gently approached the chute and before them, in that moment, the turtle swayed, fell, and onto the edge of the chute. Tilting, it slipped back inside the machine though and both teenagers screamed at the turtle through the thin glass. And then they laughed.

''Oh Naruto, I believe you, trust me. I don't need a silly turtle anyways.''

''But Hinata, I have one token left, I'll try one last time.''

''Actually, Naruto, can I try?''

Hinata's question made Naruto happy again. She seemed absolutely enthralled with the game and that made her cute. He could fetch more tokens easily for her prize after. If it made her smile, then he would smile. She eagerly took the chip but hesitated before starting.

''What would you like, Naruto?''

''I want the fox one, at the back, but he's at the bottom, with so many on top of him…so try for your turtle, Hinata.''

She frowned at Naruto and ran to the back of the large bin of stuffed animals. She saw it. Bright orange with several red tails. One of its eyes was slightly crooked, but that made it special. Now, she was determined to claim it for Naruto. The last token echoed down the slot and the game lit up. She moved the claw to the back and released the lever. Naruto watched as it disappeared amongst the plushies and reemerged… empty. But her gesture shook up the placement and Naruto could see his fox right at the top.

''There, now the amazing Naruto can get his fox himself!''

No sooner did Hinata pronounce her words, did her cellphone begin to ring loudly in her pocket. Naruto had no time to react. He wanted to thank her; he would definitely catch the fox now. Her face, however, turned downcast and she began to mutter into her phone, before walking away from him. He hesitated to follow.

''Naruto,'' Hinata hung up her phone and jammed it back into her pocket. ''I need to go. Right now.''

''Can I walk you back then?''

She stood waiting at the arcade's entrance and as Naruto approached her, she hugged him. He smiled triumphantly; nonetheless, many geeks were glaring at his success, for Hinata tilted her head up to Naruto and kissed him. It lasted seconds, tasted delicately sweet and ended so abruptly, as she hurried away from him. He stood there, almost dumbfounded.

''Byeeeeee! Naruto!'' She waved from outside. He seen her face, splayed in hot reds; she was the audacious one, in the end, stealing a real kiss from him.

''Bye Hinata! See you tomorrow!'' Naruto called back to her and waved as well.

Once out of sight, he shook his head, grumbling to himself. How did that happen?

**-=TBC=-**

Next chapter will make you all happy again, I promise.**  
><strong>


	3. These questions have answers

For anyone else who felt disappointed by chapter 700, I hope this makes you feel a little happier inside. I was okay with it up until 699, then bam, the epilogue always kills it for me. I won't sit here and complain though, I got to see Kakashi's face carved into the monument. That right there – and his words to Sasuke, I love Kakashi Hatake.

And srsly, why did they have to kill Neji? Sad face.

**Disclaimer: **Nothing.

**Chapter 3 – These questions have answers  
><strong>

Naruto unlocked the door to his place and stepped into a quiet atmosphere. The kitchen, to his left, was empty but the dishes were drying on the rack and the tea pot was missing. He slid off his shoes and instantly regretted leaving his ringer on when the chime of his phone erupted from his pocket. Another text from Hinata – she explained that her father was strict with curfew – she had violin practice. _Strange_, he mumbled, she never mentioned that she also played an instrument. That bothered him.

''So sorry again, Naruto. See you tomorrow xoxo"

He replied simply, ''See you tomorrow''

This time, he turned the volume down as he headed into the living room. There, he found his uncle in front of a stack of paperwork and Kakashi lazily sprawled beside him with a book. Although he could ignore his phone until the morning, he could not avoid these two men, his guardians.

''How'd it go, Naruto?'' Kakashi immediately asked. The book no longer interested him. A faint smile then appeared on Iruka's lips but he continued grading his work wordlessly.

There he was. His _uncle_. His trainer. His annoyance.

''Really, Kakashi, I just walked in. Offer me tea at least.''

The tea was tepid, he noted, but at least Kakashi made the effort to pour his glass and stir in the sugar.

''She's too hung up in the hype of the tournament for me. I mean, I really like her… I spent like an hour walking around thinking, as she texted me apologies…and I feel like if she just understood me a little better, we could really hit it off…''

''But,'' Kakashi supplied, because he assumed that there would be something wrong.

''You know how, when you ask someone an opinion, but they don't ask you yours…''

He received a sympathetic nod.

''Well, Hinata never really wanted to start a conversation, or ask me any questions about myself. And she never revealed anything about herself either. But she loved hearing me talk about anything at all, even different types of ramen.''

''Well Naruto, isn't that the best quality a girl could have?'' Iruka could not help but chime from his silence. He smiled lovingly at his nephew for the slight jest.

''Ha! Ha! Not funny, Iruka. I know I talk a lot. I like talking. Who doesn't enjoy a good conversation? I only found out she plays an instrument, after she explained that she had a curfew – in a text! The only time she took a real interest and asked questions was when we discussed kendo.''

Again, a topic he loved. Hinata _sounded _perfect in theory. What was so wrong with their chemistry then?

They let Naruto relish in a few minutes of silence. He thought for a long time about his words.

''Hey sensei, you know the Hyuga's right?''

''Yes, Hiashi Hyuga owns a large portion of the real estate here. They and several other larger families own most of the city.''

''Hinata may be from a rich family, but she really doesn't act like a snob. She's polite and very kind. But reserved. Maybe I just couldn't break through to her and get her to come out, like me. I don't know. She really doesn't like Sasuke though. She wants me to win and that's all we pretty much talked about. Very actively. That upset me. ''

''Have you thought perhaps that you're thinking too much into this, Naruto? Was she genuine, when she told you that she was cheering for you?''

Naruto nodded to Iruka's question. He knew it was the truth. She acted very genuinely all night and he believed in her honesty.

''Is it wrong of her to do so? Not everyone is going to feel like you do about these matters.''

Naruto no longer knew how to approach the conversation. Hinata was not wrong. But she pushed. And pushed again, at the end of their date, in the form of a kiss. That made him smile to himself. She was bold, after all, under her innocent demeanor and he liked that. Should they try again? Was it worth it, to invest more time and effort? It would take a lot of work, he knew that for sure.

''I really don't know if I should ask her out again…'' he hesitated.

Kakashi's statement, however, shed light on the dilemma, which helped to ease his decision. ''Does she make you want to know more about her? Do you want to discover all the little things about her that you didn't today?''

Naruto was silent for a moment again. He now knew what to say, with confidence.

''I had a nice time with Hinata. She's very refreshing and fun to me but I just don't feel like our personalities matched up. And it aggravates her family that she's taken a liking to me. Her cousin practically hates me. I would rather hold off and maybe in a few years, when she's less influenced by them, we'll pick up again.''

''Already thinking about future women, before his first.'' Kakashi laughed and the tension melted away from Naruto's shoulders. He would explain to Hinata in the morning that he was not looking for a relationship right now and their talk of his lifestyle and schedule made him understand that. Leading her on would be wrong when he could not give her his undivided attention. Wanting to change these details about Hinata meant that any bond they created would be strenuous and his thoughts made him feel guilty.

''Are you sure you want to make that decision so soon Naruto? I thought you still had another date?''

That question, unbeknownst to Naruto, would unleash yet another torrent of words from his _annoyance_.

''Oh, another date? I have not heard of this juicy news.'' Kakashi said and the awkward realization dawned upon Naruto in that moment.

Iruka had not told Kakashi about his decision. Or about Sasuke's decision.

''Iruka… you didn't… you didn't tell _him_?'' There was no being discrete. This family had no secrets. They all eventually surfaced. Usually within twenty four hours.

Iruka sheepishly shook his head. Naruto instantly ran away, leaving his tea behind. He would not be the one to tell Kakashi. He would not. He really did not want too. He had not even thought of Kakashi's opinion, in all of this.

''Oh Iruka,'' his partner grinned and that curve was maliciously devious and very intent on the truth.

''Kakashi… '' Iruka sat up straight and prepared to curse his nephew. ''Damn you Naruto!''

Silence. So very awkward. ''Well, you see my love, your student Sasuke asked Naruto out on a date last night.''

''He _WHAT?!_''

Iruka began to laugh as he watched Kakashi stride dauntingly down the hallway to the reclusive bedroom at the back. Even though Kakashi burst into Naruto's room, with dramatic vehemence, the man stood there, with almost nothing to say. How to begin.

''Well?'' Naruto sighed from his bed. He was sprawled there, hidden beneath the comforter.

''Sasuke…and _you_?'' Kakashi asked, as if unable to understand how that made any sense.

The blonde shuffled awkwardly. ''Yes.''

''He asked you out? Really?'' Kakashi sat on the floor, at the foot of the bed, leaning back on the wooden frame. The comforter slowly drifted over to him.

''Yea, last night, he came over. Told me he liked me and I decided to give him a chance.''

It took a moment for Kakashi to process Naruto's straightforward statement. Again, he had no idea where to begin. He felt proud of Sasuke, for being able to express his emotions to Naruto, but he had no clue how either of them could manage a relationship, let alone one of this nature. Not now. Yet, Naruto was willing to entertain this and try. He was not humoring Sasuke but indulging him, Kakashi figured. He must be. But this wasn't just a date. This contained a larger issue. Many issues neatly wrapped in a ball.

''But he's your rival, and you're his?''

''Are you doubting Sasuke's feelings, Kakashi?''

Kakashi glared at the comforter and snorted.

''No, I would never doubt either of you, which is why I don't understand why you just didn't say no.''

There, he said it. That question. Iruka had asked this as well, after the confession, before he went to bed. That was the last inquiry of the night. It disturbed Naruto for quite some time; he tossed and turned. But he wanted to think about Hinata then, not Sasuke. He was supposed to be the afterthought and yet always in the forefront of his mind. Naruto only fell asleep after accepting that he was _sorta_ interested in his best friend but as what he was still not sure...

''Sensei… you see, I really liked Hinata. I met her over a year ago, but her cousin kept us apart. Then, we finally had the opportunity to date and someone else asked me out as well. I didn't know how to feel, honestly. And it really didn't matter to me that it was Sasuke. I did not want to hurt anyone, especially not him. Iruka told me that when I am with someone, I should feel like they understand me… and unfortunately, Hinata just didn't. No one does. I guess you don't either. That's okay. I realized that Sasuke does really understand me. And he thinks like me. He respects me. I respect him. I think that all relationships, or even friendships, should have trust and respect. So why not try and talk to him properly and see?''

Kakashi sat there, mesmerized by the honesty and genuine feeling that his nephew was trying to desperately to convey. His partner was correct to instill these great values into the caring heart of this boy. They would bring him far in life. Kakashi smiled reassuringly; Naruto always amazed him.

''Sure, I understand you now. Talk before you really decide on anything. But be careful Naruto, your heart is on the line now as well, not just your reputation. One will inevitably be more important than the other.''

It became clear to him then, that perhaps he did _like_ Sasuke. Or at least, the idea of their friendship and mutual esteem filled him with warmth. Naruto was not afraid of losing his relationship with Sasuke, if, in the end, their dating did not work out. They were the type of friends that would grow old together, he knew it.

''Don't worry so much Kakashi.'' Naruto flashed him an upbeat smile.

Naruto was fearless sometimes. Kakashi saw it then. His confidence. His humble embarrassment. His desire. Always when he needed it the most.

''And do you think you could drive me in early tomorrow, so I can talk to Sasuke?''

His question earned an immediate groan. That was too early for him. No one should have to be up at 5:30 in the morning. He only had morning lessons with the boys on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Not Tuesday.

''Can't you just text him? Isn't that why everyone has a cellphone?''

Naruto begged and pleaded. ''Please Kakashi, texting is too weird right now. I don't want him to know, you know. I just want to be there and talk to him in person about all of this.''

He did not wait for the retort he expected and continued his lament. ''Please, please. It will be less awkward that way. Can you help me, just this once?''

Naruto was not expecting his savior to be Iruka. The man stood in the doorframe, smiling at both occupants in the room. ''I have an early meeting at 6:30, have to be in at six for prep work, so I'll drop you off.''

''Thank you so much Iruka. Lazy Kakashi here wouldn't sacrifice some sleep for me.''

''You think I want to be there while you and Sasuke have your little conversation.'' Kakashi laughed as he watched Naruto turn a bright crimson. He was disappointed to hear about losing his bedmate, though. ''Really? Oh Iruka, 5 is just too early.''

''I promise I won't disrupt your precious sleep.''

Kakashi grumbled as he strode back over to his partner, having been freed of any driving responsibilities. He would be sure to thank Iruka for always being incredibly thoughtful.

''Goodnight Naruto,'' Both men said in unison.

Naruto sighed in relief, as he made himself comfortable in his bed. It was still early, but he felt utterly exhausted mentally. Too many thoughts and emotions made him weary. He almost instantly fell asleep, free of any lingering doubts. They would talk first and then resolve the rest after.

_Tomorrow… _

At 2 in the morning, Naruto woke up, buried beneath his comforter. But it was too hot. He had fallen asleep completely dressed. Each piece fell to the ground, as he strode to the bathroom, adjacent to his room, disrobing with every step. He drank water, set his alarm, and dove beneath the covers again, for sleep to consume him for several more hours.

By the time his alarm rang, Naruto felt incredibly pleased with his long slumber. He woke up smiling and refreshed, even that early. The shower was warm and lulling; he felt at ease and relaxed. Iruka made them breakfast and thus far, everything was perfect. His uncle even had a lunch ready for him.

''Iruka, I don't know what I would do without you.''

''That's how I know you love me. Kakashi says the exact same thing.''

Only as he sat in the car, did Naruto feel slightly restless. It began with a fidget; he kept toying with the straps on his duffle bag. Then, his foot began to tap against the floor mats. Finally, he gnawed on his lip, just as they arrived.

''Good luck,'' Iruka said, and added, for reassurance, ''Remember, it's just one date. Then maybe you'll figure out how you guys really feel about this.''

Naruto waved as his uncle drove away from the school, before he entered by the gymnasium. The lights in the dojo were on; he expected this. He let the doors slam loudly, alerting Sasuke of his presence. They only met, however, in the locker rooms.

''Good morning'' Naruto instinctively said, as he headed to his locker.

''Good morning, Naruto.'' The Uchiha replied nonchalantly, which he followed with a casual remark, ''I'm surprised you're here today,''

Sasuke's stare, a side glance, hesitant, but defensive, was definitely present. Naruto could feel that gaze on his back. He smiled to himself. No sense in beating around the bush and playing around. He turned that grin to his best friend, as he tried not to appear utterly nervous.

''Sasuke, I…I would like to go on a date with you.''

Sasuke continued to stare. The only difference was that his heart was now beating wildly in his chest. Were his ears deceiving him? Did Naruto just…

''Naruto, you…'' He tried, but no other words came out.

It took almost a minute, but Sasuke began to smile, because Naruto started to chuckle. ''Yes,'' the blonde said. ''There's a lot more to this than just me saying yes, but we can talk about those things later. I don't want you to feel uneasy with me anymore. Go back to being the old you, for me.''

Sasuke nodded. ''Thank you, Naruto. I'm glad that you asked.''

Naruto almost deflated onto the bench, as he sighed heavily in relief. ''Now I know how you must have felt. I was so nervous.''

The remark earned him a snort and laughter. He enjoyed hearing Sasuke at ease again. The eagerness that pumped in his chest dissipated; he felt comfortable in the other's presence.

''Naruto, why would I have ever said no to you?'' Sasuke sat down beside him.

The blonde boy sulked instantly. He crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his tongue jokingly. ''Fine, I just didn't want to sound dumb, or have this be really awkward.''

''Sorry about that…'' Sasuke trailed off. He understood that tense rigor that invaded your body and stilled your senses. How overpowering it felt to be anxious, unnerved, and completely open.

''Don't be, it's not awkward anymore, and it wouldn't be much of a date if it was, right?''

''Did you have something in mind?''

Naruto nodded. ''Are you free tonight? I have the place to myself. Both of them are teaching.''

''Yea, sure.''

Sasuke finally felt relieved. He stared at Naruto without reluctance now. He could look at him again and smile. That wave of release eased all of his pent up nerves. His self-doubt was disappearing to Naruto's beaming confidence.

''So I'll make dinner.''

''Can I bring dessert?''

Naruto was pleasantly surprised by the question. ''Sure, anything delicious.''

''Good. So suit up and come practice.'' Sasuke stood up and held his hand out to Naruto. A part of him wanted the touch, but he wanted Naruto to trust him anew.

''Sure, if you're so eager to lose again.'' Naruto said, as he granted Sasuke the gesture and took his hand. It felt soft against his and he noticed that Sasuke's thumb gently caressed his middle knuckle, as the touch ended. He was already blushing from the offer; his cheeks burned a darker red now.

It was a small victory for Sasuke, despite Naruto's instigating boasts. They agreed to go after school and their practice that morning was invigorating. There was no hesitance. They saw each other again as rivals. Like a switch. On the floor, at the center of the ring, as both of them blink for the last time before first striking, they become absolutely indifferent to one another.

After practice, they parted for the showers and began their morning routines. The stalls were all empty but they were both silent. Naruto sang a popular tune, as he washed, and Sasuke laughed. He eventually began to sing the lyrics. They were in opposite classes today and would only meet again later in gym class that afternoon.

The bell rang and surprisingly, Naruto was ready before Sasuke. Usually he would toss a casual remark and leave but now he felt compelled to wait.

''Hurry up, Sasuke, or we'll both be late.'' He half expected a rhetorical comment to drop from Sasuke's mouth but he was silent.

Smiling. Naruto immediately noticed that that very expression had never left Sasuke's face since their practice ended.

''I'll cover for you'' came the reply and Sasuke met him at the door.

They left the gym together and headed to class. The halls were strewn with their classmates. The wave of good morning's greeting them began. Naruto's cheery demeanor was instantly present with everyone.

Sasuke had no idea that his love for Naruto's smile would make him grin even more. This was going to be a good day.

''I'll see you in gym!'' Naruto said as he winked at his best friend and departed with another group of teenagers.

Sasuke nodded and disappeared in the opposite direction. He sauntered to his class and took his usual seat in biology.

''Good morning Sasuke-kun,'' Sakura greeted him, from two seats behind.

He nodded back to her, ''Good morning''

His smile was natural today, she instantly noticed about Sasuke, as he entered the classroom, unaware of her alert eyes. She knew his behavior very well.

''It must be,'' she laughed but the moment was interrupted by his biology partner, Karin, dropping unceremoniously into her seat.

''Stop flirting with my partner,'' she angrily snapped at Sakura and snidely scowled at her for good measure.

''Oh Sasuke, I love it when you come in with wet hair in the morning.'' Karin turned her attention to Sasuke and instantly, his good humor vanished. He remembered now, even before she said it. Just the sight of her reminded him of...

''Remember, we have our project meeting tonight, at your place.'' Karin sighed happily at the thought.

''Well, about that…''

Sakura began to snicker.

''I have an important meeting with my brother and he's only free tonight, before he flies out again on business.'' The lie rolled off Sasuke's tongue like it was the truth. Itachi had left last night. And would not be home until Saturday morning.

Karin began to pout. There was no other way to describe the sour expression that furrowed into her face. She turned away from Sasuke and very pointedly muttered, ''Tomorrow morning, 6am, and you better fucking bring me the best coffee and breakfast in town.''

Internally, he felt relieved. Sasuke did not have to practice every other morning until next week for the upcoming preliminaries of the national tournament in March. He could miss one morning workout, to gain one hopeful night. Problem solved.

There was no denying that he was excited about Naruto's straightforward demeanor. It helped them both forget their inner qualms and attempt to drive forward.

Karin left him alone until the teams were given time to prepare for their assignment. Her attitude was icy but before leaving, she said with a smile, ''And if I see you playing online tonight, Sasuke Uchiha, I will kill you.'' Her words echoed in his ears, as she disappeared down the hallway after the bell.

At lunch, Sasuke ventured into the city and passed by several bakeries. He lacked a sweet tooth and could easily restrain himself from the saccharine treats but Naruto secretly loved to indulge in pieces of cake topped with ice cream. Or his mother's brownies; Naruto loved those. But Sasuke knew exactly what to purchase, as he stood staring into the freezer at the grocery store. He smiled. The gesture, he knew, would be meaningful to his date.

Sasuke realized that the playful curve on his lips kept reappearing. Every time he thought of Naruto.

The coin to his happiness, however, had two sides. During the car ride back to school, negative thoughts percolated in the back of his mind. It seemed as though they always surfaced during bouts of self-doubt.

_What if the date is a bust? What if there is no chemistry between us? What if Naruto does not understand me? Will we be able to go back after all of this? If it doesn't work… _

But those questions, Sasuke knew, had been dwelling on his conscious for several weeks now. And so, he took the first step in order to resolve them. The next one would be tonight.

_How should I act? Flirt? How do I be flirty? I should be clever instead. And straightforward like him. I need resolve and confidence. Communication. Honesty. Or else, how will I reassure him? _

In English class, Sasuke wrote this note alongside his actual coursework. His thoughts were distracted from poetry.

_I know that we will talk about this – obviously you are going to ask me how I feel… Naruto… even as your best friend, I never get to tell you how proud I am of you. How amazing you are. How much you impress me. I'm your rival… and I will always strive to beat you, but I like you because I feel like you complete me as well. We are opposites but the same. I lack your enthusiasm and lighthearted nature. You lack my calm, patience, and insight. But we both have such instincts. You make me want to fight you and win. And now… you make me want to kiss you and get lost in something of our own making. _

He tore the page and pocketed it. Later, he knew that it would serve him well, not_ if_ his mouth failed him, but _when_. He would watch blue eyes read over every word and perhaps a blush would darken Naruto's cheeks and their faces would then match almost perfectly. Reading it out loud seemed almost impossible. These words felt sacred now written. Nonetheless, he read it over and over, memorizing each word and hoped Naruto would someday do the same.

They were on his lips every second of gym class, as he watched Naruto and Kiba play volleyball against Shino and Lee. The winners would face off against Sasuke and Suigetsu. Naruto jumped to receive the pass and spiked it, scoring a point for his team. The other boys cheered. Lee served a perfect ball and balanced the score for the opposition. Kiba and Naruto were unstoppable though and claimed victory shortly after the tying point.

Their class would end with the last matchup and Naruto began to jeer Sasuke with feisty taunts.

''Hey Sasuke, try not to lose to us, we're on fire!''

Their peers snickered and even Sasuke chortled, entertained by his lively attitude. Naruto was dribbling the ball and dancing to his own rhythm.

''You're so lame Naruto, just serve the ball would you and lose to us already.'' Suigetsu complained and he was met by an unexpectedly calm stare from his blonde opponent.

''Fine then.'' Naruto nodded and Kiba did as well. They were focused now.

The teacher told them to commence the volleyball match and within a minute, Naruto scored the first point. Sasuke glared at Suigetsu, who missed the rebound. He took every match against his rival seriously.

''My serve.'' The Uchiha called for the ball and swiftly served to his opponents.

They struck back with vigor but did not stand a chance against Sasuke's spike. The score was even. The other eliminated players were hollering loudly. Then, the fire alarm sounded and an even louder chorus of groans ensued. The intercom rang out with instructions for the students to follow during the fire drill. Their match would never be concluded.

''Damn,'' Kiba cursed in frustration and Naruto patted him on the back, ''Next time buddy, next time.''

The students filled outside and listened less than attentively to their teachers discuss safety tips and analyze their overall performance, before dismissing the classrooms. The boys headed back inside to change from their gym uniforms.

The end of the day arrived early and as Sasuke finished changing, he looked around the dressing room for Naruto but did not see the familiar blonde. He hesitated leaving and took out his cellphone, in order to leave a message and to his surprise, there was a text waiting for him from Naruto.

**Side exit in five minutes, meet me there.**

He instantly felt relieved to see Naruto's discretion and punctuality. It was reassuring.

The wait, however, was nerve wracking. Sasuke seemed casual, almost stoic, as he waited, leaned against the wall nearest the designated exit. But he breathed unevenly. His fingers twitched nervously around the strap of his backpack. Several classmates passed by, all equally excited to leave early. He prayed for a swift departure; he did not want to see Karin. His car was waiting for them a few blocks away for their privacy.

Naruto arrived a moment later; he was lightly jogging, his backpack swinging around comically on his back.

''Hey Sasuke. So did you want to come to my place now and help me get dinner ready?''

Sasuke nodded, ''Yea, sure. I called my driver, so we have a ride.''

Naruto was amused; he laughed and shook his head. ''Go figure, already got things planned and ready.''

They walked out together and in that moment, as Naruto seemed so carefree and relaxed, Sasuke realized that this was actually happening.

Their date had begun.

**-=TBC=- **

Next chapter is going to be awesome!


	4. The First Act

I really wanted to post this on the 5th but I fell asleep watching the Video Game Awards. It was also our anniversary yesterday and so this chapter is dedicated to my fiancé, who read every single word of it. And it was international ninja day too! I'm late but here's my dedication for that.

**Disclaimer: **Nothing

**-=Chapter 4 – The First Act=-  
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Wednesday afternoon. The forecast called for light showers in the early evening but the sun was still bright in the sky. Not a single cloud. Naruto looked from the azure depths above to Sasuke beside him and even though the Uchiha was speaking, he had not heard a single word of it. He was too focused on the male beside him, almost scrutinizing him even.

_My best friend likes me._ _When did it happen? How did he realize… _

Sasuke Uchiha.

There he was, the boy with the endless eyes, Naruto had once said. They often used to hold staring matches to see who would first break concentration. Now, as he looked over to his friend, he was reminded of those times he spent analyzing every feature on that pale face.

His cocky smirk. The way his nostrils flare when he shows his teeth. The tiny scar on his left cheek, near the edge of his eye.

Yet again, Naruto finds himself lured in by those eyes that seemed soulless, like infinite pits of darkness…

When those eyes caught his gaze though, they did not look empty. The night color of his irises were glowing a reddish hue. He had seen that before…

''Hey genius, are you there? Two minutes in and you're already-''

''Sorry, I just… I looked at you and I suddenly remembered our old staring matches…and yea, heh.''

''I forgot how weird you are sometimes…'' Sasuke said, shaking his head. He always dismissed Naruto's strange quirks.

''So what did you ask then?'' Naruto bounced back immediately, followed by a slightly nervous laugh, as if to transition their conversation.

''It wasn't a question. I said that I wouldn't be at practice tomorrow morning because I have to do my team project with Karin.''

''Ahhhh, I see. No problem. I may just sleep in then. I am doing my assignment with Shino Thursday night, after school. He's busy this week, so hopefully we won't be too long that night, finishing this damn thing.''

Both teenagers lived through hectic schedules now that their tournament qualifications loomed weeks away. Typically, after school, every Tuesdays and Thursdays they were required to stay and teach the underclassmen their stances and poses, but for this week and the next, they were relieved of their duties for the competition. Kakashi taught in their place, allowing them time to study as well, before subjecting them to an intense week of training day and night. Their morning practices were optional all week but both of them preferred to keep routine. They both dreaded the week to come though, even before their story began.

''At least, as of Friday 3pm, no more homework, only three days of school, mornings and nights of intense days of Kakashi training, then a weekend of competition.''

''Yea, well you make it sound so nice and neat Sasuke. Kakashi is going to run us ragged again. I keep trying not to think about the tournament.''

''I know, but once it's over, we'll have lots of time before the real deal.''

''How about tonight we don't mention it.'' Naruto suggested, ''The idea of dating, to me, is a nice distraction from the hype of our competition.'' Although Sasuke agreed, he did not know that Naruto was reminded of his prior date with Hinata and how uncomfortable he became. That was his secret.

Once the image of Hinata resurfaced in his thoughts, Naruto felt uneasy. She had not been present in class that morning and it disturbed him greatly. Guilt. Naruto instantly sought out Sakura but she had not heard of any reason for the absence. After their second period, he texted his female classmate. No response. This thought lingered in his mind but it was not something that he wanted to discuss with Sasuke. His conversation with Hinata would have to wait.

They arrived at the black vehicle but instead of moving in first, Sasuke held open the door and ushered for Naruto to do so. His gesture earned a very amused laugh from Naruto.

''Such a gentleman.''

Naruto's laughter erupted even louder as Sasuke rolled his eyes and groaned.

The moment ended with smiles, nonetheless. This reassured both friends that they felt comfortable in one another's presence.

There was a box on the seat in front of them, which made Naruto ridiculously curious, but Sasuke warned him not to ruin the surprise. The blonde felt flattered and stopped his prying, until they arrived at the large building complex and walked inside. Hundreds of times before Sasuke had offered Naruto rides home after school and hung out him with casually, but even though this moment appeared normal to those around them, in the elevator, as they remained silent, Naruto could not stop fumbling with his keys.

''Are you okay, Naruto?'' Sasuke asked, as he stood beside Naruto in the hallway before the front door. They had been quiet for a while now.

''Yes!'' Naruto said rather quickly, as he finally unlocked the door and let them inside. He even tried to fake a nervous smile to Sasuke but his friend merely frowned. All of his panic came out in a long shaky sigh. ''Sorry Sasuke, I'm just super nervous right now. We got here and my mind just started racing; my heart is beating wildly in my chest. I feel like I want to ask you a million things but then I can't find any words when I go to talk. It just hit me, you know…''

Sasuke listened almost painfully to every word that Naruto spoke. He stood there nervously expecting Naruto to call the whole thing off; there he was, zoning out, living in his own head, fidgeting – all ominous signs to the young Uchiha. The dread began early in his mind as well, creeping up into his thoughts the second Naruto smiled at him. He wanted to love that smile but sometimes it was deceiving. Things between them could go horribly wrong. Was it too much, too soon?

''You probably have one question that is driving you crazy, right – start there.''

''Well… I really want to know what made you want to cross the line of friendship between us and come tell me how you really feel.''

That was very straight to the point. A direct hit. Sasuke felt his chest clench unbearably tight and his breathing almost stopped altogether. He knew that the first answer would be the hardest. It took him a moment to speak, carefully choosing his words. They sounded so faint, like a whisper that barely escaped his lips, ''Your smile.''

Naruto was not expecting such a simple answer. He wanted to smile just then and laugh uneasily like always, but hesitated. Sasuke saw that trepidation and tried to reassure his best friend.

''Naruto, I can't exactly explain this. I wrote you a note…and even that I don't think I'm quite ready to read to you. But I do want you to know that I like the way you smile at me. It's so confident and challenging at the same time. I know that you're always grinning, because you're a genuinely happy person, and as your rival, I see that more than others. I like it. You may never agree with me and yet you always smile at me regardless of what's being said.''

As soon as their morning practice had ended, Sasuke began to mentally prepare himself for the conversation they were now destined to have. He understood that only his words could leave the desired impact. Naruto needed to hear him speak honestly. Often, his best friend chided him for not expressing himself enough and retreating within. Now, there was no turning back. He wanted to tell Naruto everything.

There was silence for another moment, then a jingling sound resonated from Naruto's hand and he realized that he was fidgeting with his keys again. It was hard not to feel flattered by the justification and look at Sasuke objectively. This was his goal – to understand. ''I wasn't expecting that kind of answer, honestly.'' He stopped there, before deciding on his next words, ''But that's how _you_ see it though. Maybe I smile like that to everyone.''

Sasuke frowned at Naruto's comment, ''You only smile genuinely to those you love or respect and share that bond with you. Like Kakashi. Your family. Your closest friends. Like Sakura. Your smile is loving. You do accept everyone for who they are. People feel appreciated by you. You smile to them like it was second nature. I feel honored to be respected by you as your best friend and rival, and so, your smile for me is exactly… like the one you show Sakura. Like the one I showed her and now only show you. I just want you to see that love and respect should coexist in any relationship. I respect you likewise, so much, that to me…'' He felt his heart begin to race and his cheeks darken profusely. ''You're perfect.''

This time Naruto remained silent in the wake of those words. He was humbled by his best friend, who was genuine and true to his own feelings. Even under pressure, Sasuke always knew what to say. His words were reassuring and Naruto felt like he understood Sasuke better. The wisdom and values he spoke of were incredibly meaningful and harmonious with his own. Now, it was Naruto who needed to figure out what his feelings truly were.

''Thank you, Sasuke. You're a really amazing person.''

They were both blushing, promptly avoiding each other's gazes, as they awkwardly stood in the kitchen's entrance. That was, by far, the hardest thing Sasuke had ever done. His mind was clear; felt happy. And he knew that the rest of Naruto's questions would become easier to answer now that he had confidence.

''Oh yea, I have ice cream that needs to go in the freezer.'' Sasuke remembered, as he held up the bag in his hand. He was so utterly focused on Naruto that he forgot the dead weight hanging there, probably somewhat melted by now.

''I guess I know what dessert is,'' The blonde laughed; he stepped into the kitchen and headed for the refrigerator, ''Care to help me cut veggies for the ramen, while that actually becomes ice cream again.''

Naruto Uzumaki was far from being proficient in the kitchen. He needed to be supervised or left instructions and it amused Sasuke to no end that there was a detailed ramen recipe. Iruka had prepared the basics of the meal the night before; Naruto was indulging in leftovers that he knew were in the fridge. They just needed a few more ingredients to add flavor to yesterday's batch. Everything was laid out on the counter; they each had a cutting board and several pieces to dice.

''So I figured that tonight would be more like a way for us to talk about everything. I was hoping that might help me get my own thoughts together and which is why I wanted us to just hang out, like before. I know that my uncle and sensei are gay but are you really sure, or just curious?''

Sasuke was surprised at how frank Naruto sounded; no doubt his relatives knew of their situation now and had helped him figure out his next steps.

''Are you asking if I'm only ever going to date men from now on? Or if I'm solely attracted to you, as a guy?''

''I don't know,'' Naruto tried not to just bust out laughing – it already seemed strange to be discussing these things so earnestly. ''Well, am I the only person you're attracted to?''

Sasuke set the ingredients aside and put his knife in the sink. ''Yes, you are. And Naruto, I believe that people shouldn't let gender interfere with how they may feel about love. If it happens that I fall in love with a woman, one day, then so be it. I live in the now and determine things when they come at me.''

Naruto found himself nodding the entire time. Those were his thoughts exactly. The night before, lying in bed, he became determined to always live life by those principles. Only then did Naruto truly understand how serious his best friend was.

''I completely agree with you, Sasuke.''

After a minute, the soup was reheating and Naruto set the table. ''Make sure it doesn't boil over, keep stirring. Ramen should always be perfect. And we should have tea.'' He added another pot to the stove.

''So, ask me another question.'' Sasuke proposed, as his host prepared their meal.

''Okay. I have lots. When did you first start liking me. Actually, _you know_, having a crush and acknowledging it.''

Sasuke took his time piecing together the various triggers that lead him to this decision. It was not a straightforward answer but a series of unfurling events that had occurred.

''About a month before I broke up with Sakura, she got sunstroke in gym class and you rushed her to the nurse. Well, you were all she could talk about and it kinda made me jealous. I knew how much you liked her. I felt like maybe she had a better connection with you and that it was unfair of me to keep her, when I didn't feel like I loved her anymore. So I thought about it. I figured that you would be her knight in shining armor, after it happened – instead, you came to me and asked me how I was. How I felt. No one really did. You did though. Every day in practice for a week. I got mad at you and when you told me that "you just wanted to make sure you're_ really_ alright" I was extremely happy to have a great friend like you. Then suddenly you were showing up at my place and eating my mom's brownies while we played games all night.''

''What are friends for.'' Naruto chimed in happily.

''That's something I never want to lose Naruto. Above all else, you're my closest friend. I appreciated everything you did for me, even if I didn't need it. A part of me felt like I was trying to give you Sakura, but that was wrong of me. I fucked that up. So I really don't want to mess this up. I knew that I liked you because, well – Itachi is, at least, was gay. My father prohibited him – he fell in love with his best friend and it all fell apart. So a lot of my understanding of my feelings comes from Itachi conveying his experiences with me. So I knew that I liked you the night you came over after dinner, and you told me that my mom was amazing and you missed yours. Since you were over at least once a week, my mom started asking me what meals you liked – she did that for Sakura too. She really likes you and I know it makes you happy too – I just want to make you happy like that all the time.''

During the conversation, Naruto had begun to set the table and as he poured their tea, the last words to escape the Uchiha's almost caused him to spill the entire saucer with the kettle. He stopped pouring, set it aside, and sat at the table, almost dumbstruck from the declaration still echoing in his head. It hit him hard – the power in Sasuke's voice sent a chill up his spine. Thoughts of his parents swelled up and their nostalgia mixed with his memories of that night. Naruto remembered it as well; it was the first time he genuinely missed his mother, enough to shed a few tears in that moment, with his best friend.

''Wow,'' He simply said and looked to Sasuke, not at all embarrassed by the blush across the bridge of his nose, as the other strolled over and sat across from him.

There was a lot for him to grasp, as the monologue settled on his soul and weighed down his thoughts. Sakura. Hinata. Now Sasuke. Naruto realized that he had many things left unresolved. Did he really want a relationship and a significant other? The mention of Sakura unsettled his heart. Did he still love her? Did she love him, or would she ever? Could he actually love Sasuke? Would Sasuke really make him happy?

''I really don't know what to say to that…I guess it's not really fair, I ask you all these things then I can't even think of what I should say.''

''It's okay, don't worry about it Naruto. It was liberating to say for me but I'm sure that it confuses a lot of things for you.''

With nothing to respond with, Naruto tried yet another inquiry – one that would require a careful but honest approach and thus far, Sasuke had impressed him with his patient and thoughtful side.

''How would we even be together though? It's not like we can be public about this…or us. And your father, you said that Itachi did exactly what you're doing right now…''

These were the hard questions they would have to face together, if they chose that path. So he asked them.

''I won't lie Naruto, it will be difficult for us. And yes, it amuses me to think that I am almost exactly like my brother. But he never regretted any of it and neither will I. We're at the prime of our competitive careers now. Great things are expected of us. And we're rivals. These are all things I've considered thoroughly and I can still sit here and tell you that I'm willing to keep us a secret from my entire family and still fight you in the championship ring without flinching.''

That was something new for Naruto to consider – if they became a couple, would he then possess Sasuke's resolve and fight his lover? How can you love and fight the same person?

''You could still take on this challenge? You still want to beat me and date me too?''

It sounded silly – competing against your rival, whom you also dated – none of it seemed possible when they would require the utmost secrecy as well. Until when? Would they even last, as a couple, until the tournament? So many people would shun them. Publically. Would they lose out on scholarships and endorsements? What about their friends and family? It seemed almost impossible to predict how certain individuals would react.

''Yes. I respect you enough not to let my emotions confuse how I feel about kendo. So even if we don't get anywhere with this, in a few months' time, I will still be able to face you in the finals just like we promised last year.''

The former world champion was none other than Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's elder brother. Before him, Kakashi Hatake was champion, whom Jiraiya Uzumaki trained to precede him after holding the title for ten consecutive years. The depth of their families' roots in this sport was extensive. Fugaku Uchiha was keener on marital arts than kendo and so both of his children were properly trained to achieve their maximum potential. Naruto's education came from his studies abroad with his grandfather, who brought him, every summer, to elite temples and dojos across the world, where they would study diverse fighting techniques.

''I don't want to break that promise either. You and me in the finals.'' Naruto raised his cup in accordance with his statement and they toasted to the bond of their friendship and rivalry – the championship final. This would never be broken until they fought in the ring.

''How about I leave you alone with the questions then and we eat dinner before the broth gets cold.''

''Cheers to that too.'' Sasuke jeered and they were able to enjoy the meal peacefully.

Half way through his bowl, Naruto was already up and reaching for a second helping. ''More for you?'' he asked from the stove and Sasuke quickly finished the contents of his bowl, only to burp ''Yes, please.''

It contented Naruto that Sasuke agreed to more – he had not even realized this until he sat in his chair, pleasantly full, staring across at Sasuke who had not finished.

''That was fantastic, thanks for dinner.'' Sasuke's compliment added to Naruto's elated feeling and the blonde tried to wave it off bashfully.

''Well, before dessert, I do kinda have one last thing to ask,'' Naruto began, as he cleared the table and brought the dishes to the sink.

''Go for it,'' Sasuke replied; he took in a deep breath to help keep himself calm and collected. Every question, earlier, caused a heavy thud in his chest or butterflies in his stomach because each one could potentially determine the outcome of his decision.

''What do you want from a relationship… I mean, my only relationship was short lived in middle school – we broke up when I left to train that summer. But you and Sakura had a system – you could be open in public, hold hands, hug, and not a single person would care…''

''I want someone to hold again – someone to talk to that isn't related to me – I want a companion that will play video games with me and accept that I have a hectic schedule and lifestyle. I want someone to work with me – and I know that you're the person I want to try with. You already have all of the above qualifications. So to me, you will always be my brother, my best friend, my rival, and now, I want a partner to stand beside me. I can't really tell you about all the other…stuff…because I don't know either. That's something you learn together, as a couple. We couldn't be open all the time, I know, but I won't lie either – I like the idea of a secret.''

From all these questions, the information he requested was all genuinely delivered, leaving Naruto to decipher if his own feelings could mingle harmoniously with Sasuke's. This was his decision now.

''You gonna start sending me dirty texts then in private?'' Naruto jested – it was his only resort; his laughter helped ease their tension and pulled away from the intensity of their conversation.

''…maybe.'' Sasuke replied, almost inaudibly and instantly changed the subject; Naruto had a knack apparently for bringing up awkward subjects. ''How about some ice cream then.''

Sasuke retrieved the container from the freezer and Naruto procured cones. The ice cream was left wrapped in its brown cardboard box on the counter and Sasuke gestured for Naruto to reveal the flavor inside. His blue eyes instantly lit up and he grinned sheepishly.

''Thanks Sasuke, you got my favorite!'' He excitedly made a ridiculous cone for himself and Sasuke insisted on making himself a moderately sized one.

It surprised him when Naruto said, ''Let's go watch the sunset from my balcony,'' between mouthfuls of ice cream and Sasuke was glad that Naruto was not paying enough attention to notice that his cheeks were darkening. ''Sure.''

Sasuke had visited the balcony before; the same two lounge chairs were set up to overlook some of the city. It was warm under the setting sun. They stood there for several moments, simply enjoying their dessert in silence.

Naruto distracted himself with the passerby's down below – for now, his thoughts could wait, or he would internally drown in them. He was thankful for Sasuke, who had taken a seat and stretched out comfortably.

''Do you remember the first time we ever actually hung out together, outside of class? After that fight, we were both at the beach birthday party for Shikamaru and I remember Jiraiya dropped you off. But your dad was late to pick you up. My mom, Itachi, and I waited with you. We were dueling with sticks when Itachi wanted ice cream from the vendor. So we had ice cream cones in the park just as Minato and Jiraiya arrived for you.''

''I know,'' Naruto smiled fondly as he savored the last bite of his cone. ''I remember that day because that was the day I decided mango ice cream was my favorite. ''

Naruto joined him and relaxed in the opposite chair, as they reminisced. The light breeze was refreshing; it slowly began to cool down the temperature. The sun, almost fully set, cast a last dying golden hue on the balcony. The soft light still on Naruto's face made him beautiful. He looked incredibly handsome to Sasuke in that moment. The Uchiha wanted to reach out and touch his warm cheek. His revelation meant a lot to Sasuke, who was proud to remember so much about his best friend.

''You wrote my mom a thank you note the next day.''

''Oh yea, I did. My mom told me too. That was when she was sick and couldn't leave the house anymore. She said that your mom was a very nice person and deserved a nice note of appreciation.'' It took him a moment but the memory came back to his mind, in a rush of gentle warmth that reminded him of his mother.

''Your mom sounded like a very wise woman.''

''Thanks, Sasuke. I appreciate that.''

''Can I get that on paper?'' The Uchiha quipped instantly and they both began to laugh.

''Nice one,'' Naruto retorted and puzzled Sasuke as he stood up and dashed off inside his bedroom. ''Be right back,'' his date shouted from the adjoining piece.

Naruto sauntered back over to Sasuke, much to the other's amusement, and gave him a small, folded piece of paper. Dark eyes read over the words, _you will always have my appreciation_, with his name below and the quick sketch of a smiley face.

''Now you have one just like your mom's,'' Naruto said and earned another chuckle from his friend.

''Thanks.'' Sasuke lightly blushed.

They both realized then that the sunset was over, as the unwelcomed darkness of the evening invaded the private balcony.

''So, movie time?''

Sasuke nodded and rose to his feet. Naruto lead him inside again, through his bedroom and to the entertainment room. They decided on an action film rather quickly, Naruto had a massive collection of martial arts movies. When Naruto sat back down though, he did not turn off the lights or press play. He stared down at the remote, fidgeting with the rubber buttons.

''This is going to sound…well… instead of it being awkward and us hesitating…Sasuke,'' Naruto trailed off as he laughed nervously. He had not looked up yet. He could not. Another one of these moments. Why were they so hard to articulate? He fixated his hands. This question was staining his cheeks too dark of a red to face Sasuke.

''Can we kiss?''

Naruto declared, as he braced himself, almost in anticipation but mostly in fear, as his statement was left unanswered. Finally, his azure eyes peeped open and glanced up and across the couch.

Once he caught Naruto's eyes, Sasuke never let him break contact. ''Why do you want to kiss me – how about we start with that.''

''You would rather talk about kissing, than actually kiss? That's a first.'' Naruto avoided the question. Sasuke snorted at the dodgy comment and his scowl forced the blonde to frown, as he decided to think over the appropriate response.

''I just…I don't know, okay. I figured that since we're already best friends, we have these great talks, and on the balcony just now… being gay, to me, means kissing you and seeing if I like it. How else will I know if there's chemistry? I have to see if I really am attracted to you in that way, so I can try and understand the rest.''

''You have to feel it though. This is more than just desire even. I like you enough to want…well…us.''

''That's a lot right there for me to even think about again…the idea of us together like that. I mean, I know that you're an attractive person, but you're a guy and that still seems strange to me. I just feel like I'll know more if we do now. So then I'll know if I'm forcing it to be there for you or if it really is there…''

Sasuke hesitated. He did not want their first kiss to be an experiment. His imagination drew something more natural and momentous. Perhaps spontaneous. This was forced and judged. It upset his own feelings but he recognized that if Naruto needed a kiss, in order to align his emotions behind it, then he could accept one free kiss. On one condition.

''Naruto, I will only do this if you promise me that the next time we kiss, if there even is a next time, that you won't kiss me until you're absolutely serious about me and us.''

The blonde stared at Sasuke silently and the blush that appeared across the bridge of his best friend's nose was adorable to him. He sounded absolutely stern but his cheeks betrayed his serious face. Naruto smiled at him and his audacious grin and quirked eyebrow could only mean one thing.

''Okay Sasuke, I can agree to your term.''

This was important to him. He did not want to hurt his best friend and mislead him. The idea only struck him because sitting outside with Sasuke, in that wonderfully romantic moment made him want to reach out and…

Naruto slid over on the couch until their knees touched; he decided that there was no point in awkwardly shuffling around anymore. He asked for this. His lips curled into a confident smile – and Sasuke thought, in that moment _– there it is, that beautiful smile_ – but as he finished blinking, Naruto was right there, a breath away from him, ready to steal a kiss from his unsuspecting mouth. His eyes settled on the intense blue pair for a second before Naruto closed his and kissed him.

The sudden darkness and newfound lips were overwhelmingly warm, like a heatwave tingling all of his senses. Time almost stopped. Breathing felt impossible. Sasuke pressed into the embrace fully, leaving Naruto almost just as numb.

As they parted, Naruto realized that he was lingering in the moment, close enough to Sasuke to hear his uneven breathing. He instantly wanted to do it again. There was nothing different about it. Kissing a guy… his heart was pounding wildly in his ears. He bit his lip, knowing that his face was on fire but it was so hard to pull away and actually look at his best friend now that it was over.

''Your ears get really red when you're embarrassed Naruto.''

The words hung in the air for a moment before Naruto's brain could even register them. He understood that Sasuke was trying to relieve the after tension of such a brazen idea, but he sounded so smug.

''Don't poke fun at me.'' He stuck his tongue out, which did not earn him a frown, as he expected; something he had never seen on Sasuke face before surfaced and he knew it had to be desire.

Naruto could only laugh as he tugged on his warm earlobes. It did not happen often for him to feel so shy and embarrassed suddenly. Sasuke had a habit of bringing that out in him. Not since his last year before high school had his whole face burned such a bright crimson red.

''I'll tell you the first time I blushed like this if you tell me something embarrassing about yourself too.''

Sasuke smirked and shook his head, ''Sure, why not.'' He thought about it for a second. ''In second grade, I was supposed to be a samurai king, in our class play, and the minute I got up on stage, I forgot all my lines, panicked, and…'' He trailed off, leaving Naruto in suspense. ''And threw up all over Ino Yamanaka, who was my queen.''

''As if I've never heard of this…'' Naruto burst out into peals of laughter. ''Ino, of all people! She practically worships you now! So priceless. Did someone film this? Please tell me someone has this for me to see.''

''That's not part of the deal.'' Sasuke said irately. Just telling Naruto was enough. He did not need to see Sakura's parents' home video of his awful performance that day.

''But now I know it exists!'' There was a maniacal undertone to Naruto's evil chuckles, but Sasuke's glare reminded him that it was now his turn to provide a story. ''Okay, okay.'' The blonde sighed and began to sulk, before he even recited the memory. ''In 4th grade, I had a girlfriend named Shion. Well, I had finally built up the courage to ask her for a kiss, my first kiss, and she said yes, so we did – but then the teacher caught us, behind the trees in the school yard and we both got detention for it. So I turned really red and so did Shion, as we were paraded in front of our classmates.''

''Detention for kissing.'' Sasuke began to laugh, ''It has a nice ring to it.''

''At least I don't puke on people.'' Naruto said smugly; his retort, however, was matched with equal wit from Sasuke, ''this from the person who threw up all over the track after chugging expired milk last year before gym class.''

''Please don't remind me of that. Gai sensei still does, every single time he sees me drinking milk in the cafeteria.''

They sat in the silence, after their laughter expired, serenely realizing that there were still things they did not know about each other. ''Anything else I should know about you, Naruto? I guess I'm not your first kiss.''

''Nope, third.'' He smirked.

''Ha, funny. You're my third too.''

''Oh really?'' Naruto's eyebrow quirked high above the curious azure orbs. ''Who else, other than Sakura?''

Sasuke sighed. There was no point hiding this shameful secret. ''Karin.''

''Why am I not surprised?''

''Your sarcasm is not appreciated Naruto.'' Sasuke's expression hardened. His story was not finished.

''Okay, okay. I get it. Not very good, was it?''

''Not at all. Even before I was with Sakura, after our first graduation ceremony, Karin jumped into my arms and kissed me. No one saw, but I refused her all that summer before high school until she stopped asking.''

''I'm sure Sakura must have been nicer to kiss than Karin, or even Shion.''

There it was – another awkward moment – Sasuke could feel it. He did not want to talk about Sakura, not to Naruto, who adored her and pined for her over two years. But then again, his next question made Naruto uneasy as well.

''Who is your second?''

''Hinata.'' Naruto said.

It had only happened just yesterday. Another subject they had yet to discuss. Naruto himself had not yet even resolved the issue.

Although it seemed utterly natural to sit and share past stories with Sasuke, there was still some uncharted and uneasy territory between them.

Sasuke refused to let the information bother him but his mood darkened, nonetheless. He knew that regardless of the night before, this morning Naruto agreed to their date. Even if they had just kissed…

''Her father told her she had to leave early, so as she finished talking to him, she just sorta did what Karin did and we kissed.'' Naruto tried to reassure him, and without even realizing it, reached for Sasuke's hand to hold. ''I'm sorry that that bothers you and I get it. I'm not going to hurt anyone, okay? I promise.'' He really did not want to ruin the end of their date with confessions and Sasuke appreciated the sentiment. ''I know.'' He said, staring at Naruto's hand. He laced their fingers together and he pressed the play button for their movie. ''I think we've said enough for one night…''

Naruto smiled at the bold gesture and sat there, blushing again, enjoying the first martial art scenes, with their hands resting between them. This he could do. Holding hands was simple. It was his way of returning the favor for the kiss. Sasuke would sometimes brush his thumb along the top of Naruto's hand and the tanned digit would return the caress, but Naruto always squeezed their fingers together hard when he got excited. Even so, once the ending credits began to roll, it felt strange to disconnect their meshing, as it left them cold. _It was nice_…Naruto mused to himself.

As they walked down the hallway, towards the front door, they discussed martial arts, but both were really thinking of how the night would end. There was no way he could kiss Sasuke again, not now. He already knew that he would spend half the night just thinking about what happened. The question still remained; should they schedule another date – a proper one without the discussion of the intense implications of their actions.

''Hey Naruto, I was just thinking that…well, I don't want to rush this. I want you to take all the time you need to think about it. Then, if you want to try again, we can go out on an actual date.''

The blonde sighed in relief as he replied, ''Thanks. I know that I'm going to need some time, so I appreciate your patience yet again.'' His smile was genuine and that helped provide comfort for Sasuke as well.

''So we're good then?'' The Uchiha asked. He was standing in the door way now, ready to depart.

''Of course. Thanks for a great night.'' Again, Naruto tried not to blush, but could not help it. His sheepish look made Sasuke laugh. ''Good night Sasuke.''

Naruto stepped up to Sasuke with open arms; only as he hugged him, did he say quietly, ''We haven't hugged it out like this since our mothers made us do it that day, you know.''

His response was an even tighter embrace; Sasuke wrapped his arms around his best friend and breathed in the moment deeply. Everything felt right for him – almost perfect.

''There are a lot of things I would still like to say to you, but for now, I'm just going to say good night Naruto.''

As the embrace ended, Naruto watched Sasuke walk out through the apartment door. A part of him wanted to look out into the hall and see him again for one last second and it genuinely surprised him that as he did, Sasuke was looking back as well.

**-=TBC=- **

Now don't you all feel really spoiled? I know I loved it. Review and show me love too.


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